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Dr. David Skorton, 13th Smithsonian Secretary

April 1, 2016

Smithsonian Institution

Dr. David J. Skorton is the 13th Secretary of the Smithsonian. He assumed his position July 1, 2015.

As Secretary, Skorton oversees 19 museums and galleries, 20 libraries, the National Zoo and numerous research centers, including the Smithsonian Astrophysics Observatory, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. He will be responsible for an annual budget of $1.3 billion, 6,500 employees and 6,300 volunteers. The Smithsonian’s federal appropriation for fiscal year 2015 is $819.5 million, which accounts for 62 percent of the Institution’s funding. The Smithsonian generates additional funding from private contributions and business revenues.